Lakeland School District partners with NIC to offer dual credit in the high schools

Most students participate in dual credit to get a head start on their careers.

In fact, that's the primary goal of the dual credit program, to give high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to enroll in North Idaho College classes for both high school and college credit.

“It's an ideal partnership because we're helping to alleviate the space crunch on NIC's campus while offering students a more convenient way for them to take dual credit classes,” said NIC Director of Distance Education Candace Wheeler, adding that nearly 50 students have already enrolled in the dual credit courses. “Ultimately, it's the students who receive the greatest benefit.”

In past years, students in the Lakeland district were able to take courses on NIC's main campus through dual credit. Now, students will be able to take up to 14 college credits without leaving their high schools.

Both Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake and Lakeland High School in Rathdrum have interactive video conferencing technology, which allows courses being taught to students on campus to be broadcast to the satellite sites at the high schools. Through the use of live video feeds, students in the interactive video conferencing rooms receive information in real time and can interact with the campus instructor and class.

The timing of the class schedule allows students to participate in all of the courses consecutively during zero hour and the first two periods so there is minimal interference with the normal school day. Dual credit students are charged tuition on a per credit basis, $60 per credit.

This fall's Lakeland School District course offerings are:

English 101: English Composition, taught by a Lakeland School District staff memberMath 143: College Algebra, taught by a Lakeland School District staff memberCSC 105: College Study Skills, taught by a Lakeland School District staff memberPSYC 101: Intro to Psychology, taught by an NIC instructorSOC 101: Intro to Sociology, taught by an NIC instructor

Some courses are taught by NIC instructors and broadcast to the high schools through interactive video conferencing while others are taught by Lakeland School District staff onsite. Even the onsite courses can be broadcast from one high school to the other.

“To attest to the quality of the Lakeland staff teaching these courses, they are such high caliber that all three have been hired by NIC as adjunct instructors,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said more and more students each year are participating in dual credit. Each year, this trend creates a group of high school students that actually graduate with an associate's degree from NIC in May and then graduate from high school in June.

“Dual credit is really putting high school students on the fast track with their college educations,” Wheeler said. “We are very excited to offer this opportunity to students.”

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For More InformationNIC Distance Education Director Candance Wheeler, (208) 769-5906, or Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for the Lakeland School District Ron Schmidt, (208) 687-0431